Training - in the rain...

Dull, dark, wet 6 miles early evening. Nice and easy, legs a bit sore after yesterday's race but no problems really. Just did the Otley to Pool loop.

Chevin Chase NEWSFLASH!!! Results are up and came 54th. Time was 47:23 which is actually 5 and a half minutes faster than my previous best back in 2003. I also beat the first woman by 23 seconds so feeling very pleased with myself!!

Race - Boxing Day

Chevin Chase 7 mile trail race today. Haven't done this for a few years and decided to 'race' today. Very pleased to finish in about 53rd/54th place (out of 850) and with a time of 47:27 I think it was some 2 minutes inside my PB.

A good run, not too muddy but cold into the wind. As you can see from the photos we were running too fast for the camera but not everyone was taking the race totally seriously.......oh, and did I mention the race T-shirt is baby pink?!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!

Rest day today, but lots of cooking ahead....

Training - Christmas Eve

Ran to work and back yesterday. Let out at 12.30 so both runs in daylight. 7.5 miles in all, up over the Chevin and the usual way to work. On the way home I ran to Guiseley, then up Moor Lane and straight on to the top of the Chevin, then literally straight down the otherside coming out at the bottom of West Chevin Road.

Chevin Chase race next on boxing day.

Kit - porridge...

Tried out Expedition Foods 'Porridge with sultanas' yesterday before running to work. Tasted OK. Quite sweet (in a good way) and the sultanas definitely helped lift the otherwise sawdust taste! Ran up the hill afterwards and no bad side effects. Might try porridge with strawberries next.

Training - long run

Decided to do my long run today and take an extra rest day tomorrow. Did the 20 mile circuit below, half in daylight, half in the dark. After a very drizzly and grey day it was quite bright for my run and not as cold as earlier in the week. Ran with 1 ltr of water plus two Nuun tablets. Definitely getting used to the taste and I prefer it to the SIS powder. Also snacked on a Tunnocks Caramel wafer after 14 miles, a real energy boost but I suspect they would be rubbish (ie a sticky, mess!) in the desert.

This completes about 41 miles for the week with 16 miles on the bike.

Training - another run to work

Same route as last week up over the Chevin but this time muddy and misty. Another good uphill run though.

Returned via the road through Guiseley and Menston as it was, at 4.30, pitch black. Good run though, the return home being mostly downhill.

Total of 9 miles and 500 feet of climbing.

Rest day today, but have managed to get on my bike to work.

Fundraising

Firstly, a very big thank you to everyone who has sponsored me so far, I really do appreciate it. My fundraising was given a big boost last week by BSK Materials who have pledged £500!!! Thank you very much indeed to Colin Smith.

This takes my total so far to £1,768 which means I 'only' have £2,232 to go to reach target....

Training - in daylight!

Four x one mile fast on the schedule today, so did the 5 mile Otley circuit and ran bits fast and other bits really slow! Speed work is just not fun.

Training - another week...

Quick 7 tonight. 'Classic' Burley Menston route - the uphill version. Not as cold as last night and easy going. Felt a weird wet patch under the ball of my left foot which turned out to be...........blood! No idea why, but one toe appears to have cut into the other but no sign of any 'sharp 'edges. Bit weird, but will need to keep an eye on that....rest day tomorrow.

Kit - recent deliveries!

Bought some stuff from Likey's last week - two Raidlight bottles with straws, a couple of Mountain House foods and some Nuun tables. Will update the blog when I've tested them out. Good swift service from Likey's though.

Also bought some fuel tabs off eBay so I can test out burn time, boiling times etc and try and work out how much to order for the MdS.

Training - brrrrrr 2!

Just a quickish 5 miles tonight while Emma was at climbing. Felt really cold today so Pamela and I didn't hang around!

Nice easy run and felt good after yesterday's 23.

We also added in the 'Christmas extension', but sadly the 'traditionally' highly illuminated house has hardly a Christmas decoration on it.

Today rounds off a good week of about 48 miles. Only 8 on the bike this week as the roads were really too icy and even I thought it looked dangerous.

Training - "Oh no it's not!"

Down to Nottingham to see nephew Ally perform in Peter Pan at the Theatre Royal. But first, while the 'girls' were out shopping time for a quick training run.

Very speedily mapped a route on http://www.mapmyrun.com/ to pick up the Robin Hood Marathon course from Karen & Nigel's house in the Forest area of Nottingham. Worked out to be at least 23 miles without having to run all of the tedious bits of Holme pier point (but still some of them).

A good run, chilly into the wind (very light) and almost sunny. Like last week though, a mix of inner City Britain, industrial wastes and open countryside.

Completed 23 miles in 3 hrs 10 mins so pleased with the workout.

Also tried out 'Nuun' tablets in my Camelback. They are supposed to help you absorb water more efficiently and also contain added electrolytes etc. Tasted a bit chemically but no ill effects, though it does help when the water in the drinking tube is ice cold! Also managed one SIS Go Gel and a Tunnocks Caramel Wafer biscuit.

Then, it was panto time. Ally put in a great performance as one of the lost boys - "oh yes he did!". You can see him in the finale picture, third lost boy from the left.

Well done Ally!

Training - brrrr...!!!

Just 5 miles tonight, but cold and very frosty with ice in some places. Stuck to the roads around Otley, 5 miles being about the most you can do in a loop without crossing the river.

Training - run to work and back

Emma's 12th birthday today - happy birthday Emma!!

Had the afternoon off work to prepare birthday tea so decided to run to work and back to fit in the training. Was expecting a heavy frost so a bit disappointed to see that it was misty and dull when we awoke, but the sunrise was still spectacular.

Good run to work, and a very quiet run home at lunchtime too. Went up over the Chevin, down into Yeadon and back via Guiseley. In all about 8 miles and 850 feet of climbing. Click on the thumbnail below to see what a good day it was to be out running....


My Montage 12/12/07

Training

Back to training yesterday with a quickish 7 miles. Felt pretty good. It was really cold and clear last night so perfect for running. Magic tape also came into its own. The sore spot on my right ankle was not good in my road shoes, but one application of tape later and I was running pain free!

Magic tape also seems to be the answer to preventing/overcoming the back pack problem. Two MdS runners have both recommended simply taping over the affected area.

Rest day today, so cycle into work. Very icy and lots of ice on the road. Will definitely be taking a safer route home.

Racing - Round Rotherham 50, Saturday 8 December

50 miles of wet, cold mud in less than glorious surroundings, but delighted to have finished in 9 hrs 47 mins and finished around 54th spot. Ran with Phil Robertson (see pictures of the race on his blog) and although slower than the 9 hour target we'd set, quite pleased with the run.

Click on the thumbnail below to see a short slide show of the day:



Plus points from the race:

• A 50 mile run completed!
• Legs feel good today, no soreness and aches, but obviously tired...
• Tested out the front pack I intend to use for MdS and it worked very well. Just need to find a way to reduce the bouncing.
• The front pack seemed to make the back pack more stable.
• Completes a 57 mile training week

Minus points;

• Far too many 'sores' from this race.
• Picked up a rub on my right ankle when the only one I could feel was my left (that is unmarked).
• Some rubbing from the front pack but I think I can sort that.
• A nasty sore on my back from the base of the back pack. This hasn't happened before and must be linked to the front pack. Also, I probably haven't 'run' so much in other races so there is less movement. Not sure how to sort this one.

Trianing

Quick 7 miles tonight. Did the famous 'Burley Menst' run. Mostly on lit pavements, with one stretch of old, unlit road. Chilly today, first run in gloves and hat and didn't warm up enough to take them off.

Scheduled rest day tomorrow.

Training

Back to more typical evening running. After a day of almost constant rain it finally stopped but was pretty wet under foot. Did a 10 mile circuit out passed Pool to Arthington (avoided getting soaked by cars driving through various floods on the road!). Then cut uphill along Creskeld Lane to Bramhope before the return home down the gently descending Leeds Road. Felt good and enjoyed the 400 ft climb in the pitch black!

Completes about 41 miles for the week, plus about 25 miles on the bike.

Training

Another morning run before visitors arrive for the weekend. Quick(ish) 7 miles. First half of the route gentle uphill out of Otley, then @ 1 mile steeper downhill to the river Wharfe, then dead flat return. Quite bright and sunny this morning and plenty of rainbows, but chilly running back into the wind that was quiet blustery at times.